Always With the Face
by Redi Chalyn
Summary: Zevran remembers how the warden always made something get on his face. Not a comedy. Oneshot.


_Zevran closes his eyes, trying not to see the sight before him. He wants to be numb, as he always is when encountering death, but that's a luxury he will never be afforded. He remembers._

Lyna crouched by the fire, leaning in for warmth, shoulders hunched from the cool breeze. She poked at the fire with a stick, staring into the flames as though she saw something else. She didn't sense the presence of another, her fellow elf walking over to crouch beside her. It wasn't until he spoke she knew he was there. "Mm, the fire plays at your face my dear. I did not think it possible, but it makes you even more beautiful."

Lyna's eyes widened and she snapped her head to face him. "Don't sneak up on me, assassin."

Zevran pouted. "Can I not step softly when darkspawn may be about? I shall remember to be very loud when Alistair senses the foul creatures next then."

Lyna's brow furrowed in frustration. "Are you incapable of being serious? For one moment?"

Zevran smirked, eyes flicking to her breasts which, despite being bound tightly by her armor, were quite large. "I take many things quite seriously, my dear. I would be glad to demonstrate to you-"

Lyna's breath hitched as she sneezed suddenly.

Zevran touched his face as he felt the moisture land on it. Though he wasn't entirely revolted, far from it, he felt it unwise to continue his advances at the time. He laughed. "Another time, perhaps." He stood and returned to his tent.

Several months passed, and the seasons changed. Lyna led her group deep into the Brecillian Forest to track Witherfang. She stopped, holding a hand up. Alistair, Zevran, and Morrigan stopped behind her. Alistair stepped up. "Why are we stopping? There's no darkspwan here, and still no sign of a way to get past that barrier."

Zevran raised an eyebrow, fingers twitching. Something wasn't right, but a quick scan showed no traps laid out. Besides, Lyna had done quite well disarming most of them as they came so why stop?

Morrigan glared at Alistair. "Silence, Templar. There is something fowl nearby and while we would complain little if you were to be eaten, I for one do not intend on allowing your ignorance to doom us all."

Lyna's eyes widened. "Werewolves!" She grabbed her bow and shot an arrow into the bushes. A werewolf came staggering out, having clearly been running, the arrow protruding from his throat. He fell, but he was not alone. Several beasts descended on the party, who barely had time to ready themselves. Morrigan placed a virulent bomb within one of the werewolves before shapeshifting into a giant spider, entangling one in her web before pouncing on it. Alistair bashed one with his shield, knocking it away from him before slashing into another. Zevran laughed as he became covered in the blood of his victims, striking with precision and speed. Lyna shot arrow after arrow, all the while backing away from the center of the fight to get better aim. Alistair's rallying cry could somehow be heard over the chaos, as could Zevran saying something about getting blood on his boots. Lyna shot a werewolf who was about to come onto Morrigan's blind side when she felt it. Shredding, stabbing, and searing pain all at once on her back. She staggered forward away from it, turning around and loosing an arrow. It missed its mark by mere inches and the werewolf jumped on her, tearing into her as she screamed in pain.

Zevran heard Lyna scream and dispatched his current target quickly. He pointed to the werewolf on top of Lyna, marking it as the primary target as he ran to her aid. Alistair ran over and bashed it with his shield, knocking it away from Lyna. Morrigan hurried over and entangled it in her web before Zevran jumped in, his attacks so quick he was almost dancing. The remaining beasts fled, and Zevran spat on the ground at the werewolf's corpse. Morrigan shifted back to her human form, staggering slightly as she went to Lyna's side. Zevran was there first, cradling Lyna's head in his lap. "Come now, my dear Grey Warden, surely you know better than to scream so?"

Lyna scoffed, coughing. "I...can feel it..." Zevran leaned in closer to hear her. "I can feel...their taint, in my blood."

Alistair shook his head. "You may feel it, but it won't turn you. I guess it's a perk of already being tainted by darkspawn blood: werewolf venom has no effect."

Morrigan crossed her arms. "It does if it kills her."

Lyna coughed hard, droplets of blood coming up. Zevran sat up, touching his fingers to his cheek and looking at the fresh, warm blood. It was a slightly different color than the other splatters of blood that covered him. He shook his head, looking at Morrigan. "Yes, that would have an effect my dear. So what say you do something about that?"

Morrigan knelt beside Lyna, looking over her quickly. "I am no healer, but..." She moved her hands over Lyna's body, a bluish light emanating from them. The wounds began to close, the color return to Lyna's face. It took longer than it took Wynne to heal someone, but whether that was because Wynne was a spirit healer or because Lyna's wounds were more severe was unknown. What was clear, however, was that the spell was working, though it was exhausting Morrigan. The swamp witch fell backwards, Alistair reaching an arm out and catching her before she fell. He blushed and looked away when Morrigan looked at him. Lyna gasped, eyes snapping open. She saw Zevran looking down at her, smirking. "I have not wished your blood to cover me in quite some time, my dear Grey Warden." He laughed.

More months passed, and the chill of Autumn was in the air, though no one felt it. Heat and adrenaline was all anyone felt, as darkspawn corpses surrounded them as well as the bodies of fallen allies. Finally, the archdemon shrieked and Lyna seized her chance. She ran toward the dragon, shoving Alistair aside and grabbing a large sword from a corpse. She slid under the beast's head, slashing open its throat. When its head lowered, Lyna jumped on it and raised the sword. She cried out as she plunged the blade into the dragon's head, surrounded by blinding light. Despite the light, however, she felt darkness cloud her mind. She could feel herself getting colder despite the flames that surrounded them. With one last show of strength, she pulled the sword from the dragon's head and felt herself being knocked back.

For how long they lay there, none of them knew. But when Zevran opened his eyes, he could think only of Lyna. Ignoring the dizziness that threatened to overcome him as he stood, he rushed to where the elf lay. He knelt down and cradled her head, gently caressing her tattooed face. Lyna's eyelids flickered and opened the tiniest bit. "Z-Zevran...?" her voice was barely a whisper.

Zevran nodded. "I am yours, my dear."

Lyna smiled softly, eyes closing again. She tried lifting her arm but couldn't. Zevran noticed and took her hand in his, bringing it to his face. Lyna moved her thumb softly over where she knew his tattoo was. "They say the Beyond is a place of warmth." She was silent for a bit. "It's not..." Zevran raised an eyebrow. "So...cold..."

Zevran's eyes widened. "Lyna...Lyna!" He felt all the tension release from her body, a feeling he had imagined his victims felt but had never felt it happen. He touched her cheek, choking. "Lyna..." he cried her name softly and kissed her palm. He sensed the others stirring behind him and carefully placed Lyna's hands together on her chest, gently brushing stray hairs from her face. "Oh, Lyna..." he whispered. A tear escaped his eye and fell down his face. He touched it, knowing it would be the last thing ever to touch his face from the elf he'd come to love.

_Zevran opens his eyes and stares at the sapling that has begun to grow. The crisp Autumn air cuts through his leather armor, but he barely notices. He kneels down and touches the earth near the sapling, hands trembling. He purses his lips, biting the lower one so he would shed no more tears. "You can't offend my face anymore, my dear." What he wouldn't give to change that._


End file.
